is what you've et, and then the boys will use you white. There's nothin'
puts a fella in wrong with the boys quicker than for him to let on he is
a hand when he ain't. 'Course the boys won't mind seem' you top a bronc
and get throwed, just to see if you got sand."

Meanwhile Cheyenne manipulated the coffee-pot and skillet most
effectively. And while Bartley ate his supper, Cheyenne talked,
seemingly glad to have a companion to talk to.

"You see," he began, apropos of nothing in particular, "entertainin'
folks with the latest news is my long suit. I'm kind of a travelin'
show, singin' and packin' the news around to everybody. 'Course folks
read the paper and hear about somebody gettin' married, or gettin' shot
or leavin' the country, and then they ask me the how of it. I been
ramblin' so long that I know the pedigrees of 'most everybody down this
way.

"Newspapers is all right, but folks get plumb hungry to git their news
with human trimmin's. I recollec' I come mighty near gettin' in trouble,
onct. Steve had some folks visitin' down to his ranch. They was new to
the country, and seems they locked horns with a outfit runnin' sheep
just south of Springerville. Now, I hadn't been down that way for about
six months, but I had heard of that ruckus. So after Steve lets me sing
a couple of songs, and I got to feelin' comfortable with them new folks,
I set to and tells 'em about the ruckus down near Springerville. I guess
the fella that told me must 'a' got his reins crossed, for pretty soon
Steve starts to laugh and turns to them visitors and says: 'How about
it, Mr. Smith?'

"Now, Smith was the fella that had the ruckus, and I'd been tellin' how